Badgers' Ball back in running for Silver Football

Wisconsin RB on a roll after slow start, would be 1st repeat winner in 23 years

October 23, 2012|Teddy Greenstein | ON COLLEGES, ON GOLF

Wisconsin's Montee Ball carries the ball in the Badgers' win over Minnesota on Saturday. (MCT Photo)

The accent has been removed from the second "e" in Montee Ball. Apparently it was slowing him down.

Before the season, Wisconsin's star tailback asked that his name be pronounced "Mon-TAY" to reflect what's on his birth certificate. But he got attacked on a Madison street in August and averaged fewer than 100 rushing yards behind the Badgers' struggling offensive line in his first five games.

His last three have been so productive, he has a decent chance to become the first repeat winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football (awarded to the Big Ten's best player) since Indiana's Anthony Thompson in 1988-89.

As he piled up 247 rushing yards two weeks ago at Purdue, some of Ball's teammates hollered, "Mon-TEE's back!"

"I think he got a smile and a giggle after the Purdue game," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said Tuesday on the weekly Big Ten conference call. "A couple of our kids also saw that his dad pronounced it as 'Mon-TEE.' So unless someone tells me different, I'm sticking with 'Mon-TEE.' "

Ball will get a true test this week from Michigan State, which is allowing a conference-low 3.4 yards per carry.

Ball needs five more touchdowns to surpass the all-time NCAA record of 78 set by Travis Prentice of Miami (Ohio). And Bielema says Ball's NFL stock is rising. Had he turned pro after last season, he likely would have been taken in the third round.

"He's a little thicker and stronger," Bielema said. "The NFL scouts are telling me they are blown away by what they see in practice and on film."

Battle of legends: Saturday's Michigan-Nebraska winner will have a clear path to the Dec. 1 Big Ten title game.

The Wolverines (3-0 Big Ten) have not won a conference title since 2004, and coach Brady Hoke has reminded his players of that.

Nebraska (2-1) has the conference's best offense in points (41.6) and yards (512.4) per game and plenty of skill in its secondary. But the Cornhuskers are minus-9 in turnovers, worst in the Big Ten by far. (Illinois is minus-5.)

Asked if the miscues are driving him crazy, coach Bo Pelini replied: "To say the least. It's something we emphasize all the time and have to carry over to the game."

Battle of leaders: Ohio State and Penn State are a combined 7-0 in Big Ten play. Neither will be in Indianapolis on Dec. 1 because of postseason bans, but both are eligible to win the Leaders division as they prepare to meet Saturday in State College, Pa.

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller was taken to a hospital during the Purdue game, but it turns out he merely has a sore neck. He has been cleared for non-contact practice, and the Buckeyes also will prepare Kenny Guiton, who completed 6 of 11 passes in the 29-22 comeback victory.

"Kenny is a great manager, a distributor," Meyer said. "He's like a coach on the field; he gets you in the right plays. We'll have both ready."

Around the Big Ten: Over the last two seasons, Northwestern has blown five of 10 double-digit second-half leads in Big Ten games. The latest was Nebraska on Saturday. Asked about that, NU coach Pat Fitzgerald replied, "You guys are overanalyzing this, man." Fitzgerald said his team simply needs to make more plays down the stretch. … The Wildcats' Saturday opponent, Iowa, has lost guard Andrew Donnal for the season to a knee injury. Last week, left tackle Brandon Scherff (leg) went down. … Minnesota coach Jerry Kill said when quarterback MarQueisGray returns from an ankle injury, he'll play mainly wide receiver. "That's where his (NFL) future is," Kill said. … Kevin Wilson sounded upbeat despite Indiana's three consecutive close losses to Michigan State, Ohio State and Navy by a combined eight points. "We're not playing like losers," he said. "If we were, we would have quit." … Illinois' Tim Beckman challenged his players during the off week to "burn the boat" — a parable borrowed from his former boss, Jim Tressel. According to legend, when Spanish conquistador HernandoCortes reached Mexico in the 1500s, he ordered his men to burn the ships that brought them. "There was no turning back," Beckman said. "Win or perish. I have challenged this team to change. We have to change the things we have been doing."